Archived: Oak Trees

The provider had an outbreak of Corona virus within in the home. We were assured the provider was keeping people safe and found the following examples of good practice.

Staff had received training in infection control, including how to safely put on and take personal protective equipment (PPE) such as glove aprons and face coverings. One staff member told us, “I have had additional training since Covid started, like handwashing and taking off my PPE”. We saw staff throughout the day wearing appropriate PPE and refreshing their PPE when moving from room to room.

There was a process in place for visitors and staff entering the home that included recording temperatures and washing hands. Staff we spoke with told us they came to work in their own clothes and would record their temperatures and gel their hands before entering the building. There was a designated room for staff to change into their work clothes and put on their PPE before they accessed the area, they were allocated to work in.

The service was split into two units. Each unit could be isolated using a zoning system. Wherever possible, staff worked on one unit. The registered manager had reported that there was an outbreak in the home and notified the appropriate authorities. The registered manager was meeting regularly with Public Health England and the local commissioning team to monitor the outbreak. We spoke with one professional who told us, “We are closely monitoring Oak Trees and are happy with the current plan in place to reduce the outbreak in the home.”

The registered manager ensured regular testing was carried out on both staff and people living at the service. Staff we spoke with were confident and knowledgeable about how to protect people from the risk of infection. Assessments were carried out by phone or remotely. People were not admitted to the service unless they tested negative for Covid-19; there were procedures in place to isolate new admissions for a further two weeks to ensure they were free of the virus.

Visitors to the home were restricted in line with government guidelines. However, staff told us they worked with relatives and people living in the home to make sure people had contact with their loved ones through use of technology, this included phone and video calls.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.

Oak Trees is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided. The inspection team looked at both during this visit.

Oak Trees is registered to provide personal care and accommodation for up to 68 people. At the time of the inspection there were 44 people living at the home. The provider divided the home into three units. One unit provided care and support to older people and the other two units provided care and support to people who were living with dementia. All bedrooms were for single occupancy and the provider employed staff 24 hours a day.

At the last inspection, the service was rated Good.

At this inspection, we found the service remained Good.

The provider had employed a registered manager who was responsible for the home. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

Staff supported people who lived at Oak Tree’s. One person told us, “Staff do everything for me,” another person said, “I’m safe here, I can’t live on my own and I’m glad to have found this place”.

The provider had systems in place that safeguarded people from abuse. These included assessing risks to people and monitoring their safety. There were sufficient numbers of suitable staff to support people to stay safe and meet their needs.

The provider had robust medicine management systems in place to ensure the proper and safe use of medicines. Staff managed the prevention and control of infection and made improvements when things went wrong.

Staff had the skills, knowledge, and experience to deliver effective care and support in line with current legislation. Staff supported people to eat and drink enough to maintain a balanced diet.

The provider worked across organisations to deliver effective care. People received ongoing healthcare support. Staff sought consent to care and treatment in line with current legislation and guidance.

Staff treated people with kindness, respect, and compassion. People were actively involved in making decisions about their care. Staff respected privacy, dignity and the independence of people living at the home.

The provider used feedback to improve the quality of care. There was a clear vision to deliver person-centred care, which achieved good outcomes for people.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.

People told us that they were consulted about the care they received. One person said 'I feel that the staff understand me very well. They know all those important things that mean so much to me.' Another person said 'they never do anything without asking you. They always check that you are happy with things.'

Each person had a plan of care which was personalised to their needs and preferences. The people we spoke with were positive about the care and support they received. Comments included 'the staff are very good here. We have a laugh. I am very happy here' and 'it really couldn't be any better here. They are marvellous. All the staff are wonderful.'

The home's health and safety procedures minimised risks to the people who lived at the home. We saw that people had been provided with equipment in line with their assessed needs.

The home's staff recruitment procedures meant that people were supported by staff that were suitable and appropriately trained.

There were systems in place which monitored and improved the quality of the service provided. The views of people who lived at the home were regularly sought and responded to.